The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) on Saturday postponed their protests as the government assured provision of gas supply to the industries in Punjab from February 1.
APTMA Chairman Gohar Ijaz told reporters that he held conclusive talks with Petroleum Advisor Dr Asim Hussain and MD Sui Gas Arif Hameed. Ijaz said that the petroleum advisor has assured him provision of gas supply to all industries from February 1.
The APTMA chairman said the association also decided to shelve their province-wide protests. The gas supply to industries in Punjab remained suspended from December last year, he added.
Meanwhile, MD Sui Gas Arif Hameed said that they are making efforts to provide gas supply to the industries despite huge energy shortfall. Procedures regarding gas supply to the industries and its monitoring would soon be finalised, he added. Thousands of textile workers, industrialists took out processions, held huge demonstrations against severe gas load shedding in Faisalabad on Saturday.
Holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the gas stoppage, the protesters shouted slogans “give us gas to run our factories, to earn our livelihood, to meet our both ends”. They also set ablaze tyres and burnt effigies of government officials.
Addressing the protesters, Asghar Ali, chairman Pakistan Textile Exporters Association, demanded the government provide uninterrupted supply of gas to keep the industries running and enabling their workers to earn something to make their both ends meet.
Prolonged shortage of gas has crippled the textile industry resulting in the loss of billions of rupees to exporters.
The Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce president said the billion dollars industry was on lowest priority of the government that has put the future of millions of workers’ jobs at stake. He said that non-availability of gas to Punjab industries means huge unemployment.
Addressing the protesters, Zia Alamdar, vice chairman Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association, said that the suspension of gas supply over the last seven weeks has completely halted the industrial wheel.
Rizwan Ashraf, chairman All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association, warned that if the current situation lasted for a long period, thousands of daily-wagers would lose their jobs. Continuous rise in the number of unemployed would definitely give air to anti-government sentiments. “It is not the industry only that would be suffering immensely, but the government would be an ultimate loser on many counts,” he added.
Gas supply to Punjab industries from Feb 1
